Reporting Tips for Service Workers
Photo by Stefan Lorentz from Pexels

Reporting Tips for Service Workers

Tips received by servers and other individuals in the service industry are taxable. However, since tips do not show up on T4 slips, some taxpayers are under the false understanding that they are either not taxable, or only partially taxable. In a February 3, 2020 Federal Court of Appeal case, the Court upheld the Tax Court decision that tips received by the taxpayer from his employment as a slot attendant at a casino were properly…

Continue Reading Reporting Tips for Service Workers
Property Flipping: Income or Capital?
House Flipping

Property Flipping: Income or Capital?

In an August 14, 2019 Tax Court of Canada case, at issue was whether the sales of four properties in B.C. were on account of income (fully taxable) or capital (half taxable), and whether they were eligible for the principal residence exemption (potentially tax-free) as claimed by the taxpayer, a real estate agent. Essentially, the Court was trying to determine if the properties were purchased with the intent to re-sell for a profit, or for…

Continue Reading Property Flipping: Income or Capital?
Anxiety, Depression & Phobias: Disability Tax Credit

Anxiety, Depression & Phobias: Disability Tax Credit

In an April 3, 2019 Tax Court of Canada case, at issue was whether the impact of an individual’s mental impairment entitled her to the disability tax credit (DTC). The taxpayer suffered from social anxiety, depression and phobias. A taxpayer may be eligible for the DTC if the impairment(s) represents a marked restriction in the ability to perform a basic activity of daily living. In particular, the impairment must affect and permeate the individual’s life…

Continue Reading Anxiety, Depression & Phobias: Disability Tax Credit
Workers Compensation: Replacement Payouts by Employer

Workers Compensation: Replacement Payouts by Employer

In a March 29, 2019 Tax Court of Canada case, the taxpayer had been injured on the job and was held eligible for workers’ compensation (WC) payments by the relevant provincial authority. However, in accordance with the collective agreement setting out his terms of employment, he was paid 100% of his salary by his employer and, therefore, did not receive payments from the provincial WC authority. He argued that the maximum provincial WC should be…

Continue Reading Workers Compensation: Replacement Payouts by Employer
Reimbursement For Work Clothing: Taxable

Reimbursement For Work Clothing: Taxable

In an April 17, 2019 Technical Interpretation, CRA was asked whether clothing reimbursements paid to maintenance employees were taxable benefits. Employees were not required to wear specific uniforms and were reimbursed based on receipts, to an annual maximum. CRA referred to Guide T4130 Taxable Benefits and Allowances, which states that clothing is generally a personal expense, except where either of the following applies: the employee is required to wear a distinctive uniform while carrying out…

Continue Reading Reimbursement For Work Clothing: Taxable
Special Work Site Allowance: Home Base Needed

Special Work Site Allowance: Home Base Needed

In a January 29, 2019 Technical Interpretation, CRA discussed the criteria for tax-exempt allowances for board and lodging received for periods an employee was working at a special work site. To be a special work site, the following criteria must be met: the work performed at the location must have been of a temporary nature;the employee must have maintained a self-contained domestic establishment (SCDE) elsewhere which was used as their principal place of residence;the SCDE…

Continue Reading Special Work Site Allowance: Home Base Needed
Commentary on the 2019 Federal Budget

Commentary on the 2019 Federal Budget

On March 19, 2019 the Honourable Bill Morneau, Minister of Finance, presented the 2019 Federal Budget, Investing in the Middle Class, to the House of Commons. No changes were made to personal or corporate tax rates, nor to the inclusion rate on taxable capital gains.

Continue Reading Commentary on the 2019 Federal Budget